As a saxophonist, Bob Reynolds has worked with a diverse array of artists in both pop (John Mayer, Michael Buble, Usher, Amos Lee, Jessica Simpson, Willie Nelson, Guy Sebastian) and jazz (Richard Bona, Tom Harrell, Brian Blade, Aaron Goldberg, Reuben Rogers, Eric Harland, Gregory Hutchinson). Reynolds is also an award-winning composer with 4 albums of original material and 4 ASCAP Young Jazz Composer Awards to his credit. He graduated with honors from Berklee College of Music and currently lives in Los Angeles.

As a saxophonist, Bob Reynolds has worked with a diverse array of artists in both pop (John Mayer, Michael Buble, Usher, Amos Lee, Jessica Simpson, Willie Nelson, Guy Sebastian) and jazz (Richard Bona, Tom Harrell, Brian Blade, Aaron Goldberg, Reuben Rogers, Eric Harland, Gregory Hutchinson). Reynolds is also an award-winning composer with 4 albums of original material and 4 ASCAP Young Jazz Composer Awards to his credit. He graduated with honors from Berklee College of Music and currently lives in Los Angeles.

It's been nearly one year since we went into the studio to record this album.

It's been nearly two years since I began talking with producer Matt Pierson (Joshua Redman, Brad Mehldau) about what this album would be.

It's been even longer since I began jotting down configurations for who might play this music, what songs would go on this album, and what the overall concept would be. Longer still since some of these tunes were born.

I knew it was going to be a great album; I got the best people for the job. I naively thought this might be the record that caught the attention of a Blue Note, Nonesuch or Concord Records.

Not because one needs a record label to release music these days.

Anybody can put their music on iTunes. All my records are available online. But if you want to reach a wider audience, get promotion, tour effectively, and make more records, you need help. Or you need to be independently wealthy.

I discovered jazz during the height of the young lion era. Wynton Marsalis paved the way in the '80s; Joshua Redman, Roy Hargrove and Christian McBride carried the torch in the 90′s, and for awhile, every decent jazz musician in New York was putting out records — for a label — and touring.

Those days are gone.

But there's a big upside: I get to make whatever music I want with whomever I choose. You can't get dropped when you've never been picked up.

My style doesn't fit neatly into a category like acoustic, straight-ahead, mainstream, contemporary or–God-forbid–smooth jazz, so it's a blessing I don't have to make music to please a particular record label.

I don't have anyone telling me to make radio edits, use certain "marquee" players, what tunes to play, or that I'd sell more tickets/albums if I just wore leather pants and walked through the audience playing my sax high above my head.

That is something to be grateful for.

I'm also very grateful there are people in the world who dig my music. And thanks to technology, we're able to communicate directly.

I'm beyond grateful to find myself in such talented company. To have musical friends and compatriots who not only understand my vision, but bring such life, intensity, and personality to it.

Does it take longer to produce and manufacture high-quality albums on your own? Yes. Will that prevent me from doing it? No. I only wish I could increase the pace of my output (hence the lament for a label [read: bank]).

People love to talk about how "easy and cheap" making music is thanks to laptops, home recording software and the web, but the fact is it costs considerable sums to hire the best musicians, engineers and studios.

You can buy tools and materials at Home Depot, but does that mean you should build your own house?

Anyway, there's a track below in the YouTube media box we are all very excited about. I hope it makes you smile.

Over the course of eight years, with three albums as a leader, several studio projects as a sideman, and countless worldwide performances, pianist and composer Gerald Clayton has established himself as a leading figure in the up-and-coming generation of jazz artists who are fluent in the range of styles that make up today´s jazz lexicon. Hailed by The New York Times for his "huge, authoritative presence," Clayton is well on his way toward etching his own enduring mark in the long and rich tradition of jazz. Never has this been more apparent than in Life Forum, his latest recording on…

Over the course of eight years, with three albums as a leader, several studio projects as a sideman, and countless worldwide performances, pianist and composer Gerald Clayton has established himself as a leading figure in the up-and-coming generation of jazz artists who are fluent in the range of styles that make up today´s jazz lexicon. Hailed by The New York Times for his "huge, authoritative presence," Clayton is well on his way toward etching his own enduring mark in the long and rich tradition of jazz. Never has this been more apparent than in Life Forum, his latest recording on Concord Jazz and his most ambitious project to date.

Born in the Netherlands in 1984 and raised in Southern California, Clayton took his first piano lessons before age seven with the full support and encouragement of his father, the acclaimed jazz bassist, composer and bandleader, John Clayton. Music was a central part of his life from as long as he can remember and it became a lifetime commitment very early on:

"I was in the third grade, and there was a talent show where I played a boogie-woogie piece that my dad had written for me," he recalls. "It was the first time that I played for an audience where I felt that people were really moved by something that I had just played. I remember thinking, ´Yep, this is what I´ll be doing for the rest of my life.´"

Clayton attended the L.A. County High School for the Arts and then enrolled at the USC Thornton School of Music. In the midst of his third year at USC, he temporarily relocated to New York to study at the Manhattan School of Music. "I knew I was eventually going to move to New York," he says, "so I thought it would be a good idea to experience the city for a year as a student." After returning to L.A. for a year and a half to finish his degree, he moved back to New York

"In an attempt to find a title that represented my vision, I came across the word "oracle." Its definition draws attention to an individual, but I see the word in the context of the band as an entity; pushing the audience to ask deeper questions about one's meaning. Accordingly, our music is played with passion and sincerity. In every note, written and unwritten, the listener is exposed to an array of complex emotions. Emotions that lead to a broader truth through the journey of self discovery. We hope the music can call some people to action. Others to inaction. These…

In the relatively short span of ten years, drummer and composer Kendrick Scott has established himself as an artist of great versatility and depth. Having toured and recorded with such luminaries as Terence Blanchard, Herbie Hancock, the Crusaders and others, he has proven his ability to adapt his style to virtually any occasion or circumstance, and at the same time maintain his own distinctive voice in the process.

In addition to his work as a support figure, he has also developed a reputation as an innovative composer and bandleader, with the help of his ever-evolving musical collective. The Kendrick Scott Oracle began their creative odyssey in 2007 with an eclectic and ambitious debut recording called The Source, and followed up on its success with Conviction, an album set for release on Concord Jazz in March 2013.

Born in July 1980, Scott grew up in Houston, Texas in a family of musicians whose eclectic interests ran to gospel, classical and R&B. His earliest musical experiences were in his church, where his parents and older brother were involved in the music ministry. "I remember sitting in a pew in church when I was very young, and I remember feeling a chill in my body during one of the songs. I thought, 'What is this feeling?' I had to know what it was and what was causing it. I had to be a part of it. I knew even then that the source of that feeling was something that I wanted to pursue."

By age 8, Scott's parents set him up with some sticks, pads and drum lessons. The combination of innate talent, discipline and support from his parents earned him a seat in Houston's renowned High School for the Performing and Visual Arts – a school whose roster of prestigious alums also includes Robert Glasper, Chris Dave, Mike Moreno, Jason Moran, Eric Harland, Beyoncé, and many others.

"I was naïve enough to never really have any doubt about playing music as a career," Scott says of his high school years. "I never really thought about the possibility that it couldn't be done. It was a blessing to just be a part of that environment, where I saw so many guys – like Eric Harland, who was four years older than me – doing great things. When you're in an environment like that, the extraordinary becomes the ordinary."

Before finishing high school, Scott won a number of Downbeat Magazine student awards, as well as the Clifford Brown/Stan Getz Award from the International Association of Jazz Educators and the National Foundation for the Advancement of the Arts. He was later awarded a scholarship to attend Berklee College of Music, where he majored in music education.

In addition to long hours of instruction and practice, the Berklee years also presented Scott with the opportunity to establish relationships with prominent artists like Kenny Garrett, Pat Metheny, the Crusaders and others. After he graduated in 2003, he had offers to tour first with the Crusaders, and later with Terence Blanchard. He has played with Blanchard for most of the ten years since.

"Kendrick is a true artist of the highest order," says Blanchard. "He is not bound by the conventional wisdom of the music world. I've noticed that he never says why, but rather why not. He is exactly what the music world needs: someone with the vision and courage to press forward and expand the world of music. I am blessed to have him around and I look forward to seeing what he does every time we play."

It was Blanchard who encouraged Scott to record The Source, his debut album with Oracle. "He'd been telling me for years to just go ahead and put something out there," Scott recalls. "He told me that the work doesn't have to define who you are for all time. It's just a little piece of who you are in that moment. I actually started recording The Source in 2005, then I re-recorded it in 2006, and then it came out in 2007. All of those early experiences – being around the Crusaders, being around Terence, being around all the other musicians whom I grew up with in my community – that really spurred me to create that CD. I had a lot of people playing on that album, including Robert Glasper and Gretchen Parlato. It was about a sense of musical community that I felt that I should try to capture on a record."

More than five years after the release of The Source, Conviction is the next step in the creative evolution of Kendrick Scott Oracle – a band whose lineup is now saxophonist and bass clarinetist John Ellis, guitarist Mike Moreno (the only member to also appear on The Source) pianist Taylor Eigsti and bassist Joe Sanders. Guest vocalist and guitarist Alan Hampton makes appearances on two tracks.

"I wanted to make this more of a band statement," says Scott. "This current lineup of the band just molded itself around this music, and then took it in all different kinds of directions at the same time. It all came together so easily and so well."

Scott is committed to keeping his artistic vision fresh and new. "Making a piece of art should never have a sense of finality to it," he says. "When I make a record, I listen to it and I always think about rewriting some part or some section. Sometimes I think that when we play it on the road, it will sound so different to people that they might not even recognize it. It's that constant state of evolution that I'm hoping to achieve."

"In an attempt to find a title that represented my vision, I came across the word "oracle." Its definition draws attention to an individual, but I see the word in the context of the band as an entity; pushing the audience to ask deeper questions about one's meaning. Accordingly, our music is played with passion and sincerity. In every note, written and unwritten, the listener is exposed to an array of complex emotions. Emotions that lead to a broader truth through the journey of self discovery. We hope the music can call some people to action. Others to inaction. These are the kinds of personal reactions the music was written and played to evoke. The name, Kendrick Scott Oracle (KSO), possesses a mythical tinge, but it's meaning is actual.

The concept of KSO was conceived from the influence of jazz master drummer, Art Blakey and the movie The Matrix. In The Matrix, the main character, Neo, would visit the Oracle for counsel. He would challenge to reality by questioning the Oracle's concepts and being. Rather than explaining the truth outright, she used questions to help him discover the answers within himself. In conjunction, Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers were very significant in that they made music to reach people by challenging the audience's concept of music. I connected with this concept of communicating a message of truth to the listener through questioning the status quo.

The latest group features Joe Sanders on bass, John Ellis on reeds, Taylor Eigsti on piano and Mike Moreno on guitar. ( Insert Photos and Links for their websites) Each of them possesses a powerful transparency in their sound that cuts to the core of the music, and embraces the others around them. I want to thank each of them for their integrity in, and away from, music. They are all bandleaders in their own right, so look out for their projects." -KADS

VLAD WEST, known in Russia as Vladimir Sermakashev, was a child prodigy. Born in Baku (Russia) he studied piano from age 3, composition from age 5. At that early age he was playing solo piano concerts at Baku Conservatory and was taking composing and arranging lessons with well known professors. Mr. West has technique and knowledge of classical and jazz music well beyond ordinary piano player. As Mr. Starr (president of Oberlin College, Jazz Study) said about V. West in one of his books on jazz: "In his combination of grittiness and lyricism, blues feeling and sheer drive, he has…

VLAD WEST, known in Russia as Vladimir Sermakashev, was a child prodigy. Born in Baku (Russia) he studied piano from age 3, composition from age 5. At that early age he was playing solo piano concerts at Baku Conservatory and was taking composing and arranging lessons with well known professors. Mr. West has technique and knowledge of classical and jazz music well beyond ordinary piano player. As Mr. Starr (president of Oberlin College, Jazz Study) said about V. West in one of his books on jazz: "In his combination of grittiness and lyricism, blues feeling and sheer drive, he has few equals, in Europe certainly and even in America."

Not fully satisfied only with classical music, Vlad West started to learn about jazz at the age 9 and at 16 he was already very well know jazz musician in Moscow. Articles about him were printed all over Europe and America: VILLAGE VOICE, JAZZ FORUM, DOWN BEAT: "His rhythmic sense is simply unbelievable, and he is, I would say, swimming in rhythm." Mr. West and his quartet played extensively throughout the European Jazz festival circuit. Among many others, he has played with Duke Ellington and Gerry Mulligan, Ted Jones and Mel Lewis. He has recorded many discs in Europe and, when he came to live in America, he recorded 3 more discs here. On his jazz recording SAY HELLO TO RUSSIA Scott Yanow from JAZZ TIMES said: "West comes up with creative and frequently hard-driving solos on six of his originals and three standards, making one wonder why he is not better know." And Owen Cordle from DOWN BEAT MAGAZINE: "As a composer, he demonstrates an affinity for the classic Coltrane quartet of FAR AWAY and BLACK SNOW."

Vlad West's relation with a movie business started early, when as a child he has to sit in only movie theater ("Nostalgia") and play different kind of music for the silent movies. He composed, arranged and performed music with the orchestra for 9 movies in Russia. Some of the movies were distributed in America. Now, living in USA for many years, Mr.West wrote songs and music for the documentary movie TO AMERICA WITH LOVE (Public Broadcasting) and he was the inspiration, story and music consultant, and musician for the movie MOSCOW ON THE HUDSON (Columbia Pictures).

Lush Life with a Twist and Lush Life Straight Up - is a unique spoken word and musical homage to Billy Strayhorn's original composition performed by Juliette Gray - Voice- Bill Cunliffe - Piano and Gary Gray Saxophone. Julitte is a British-American voice actor located in Los Angeles. Juliette’s VO work includes commercials, narration, animation & video games in a variety of accents & dialects plus spoken word renditions to poignant jazz songs from America’s true art form - The Great American Songbook.

About a year ago Juliette decided to collaborate with top LA musicians to bring about a spoken word version of Lush Life – a masterpiece in the jazz repertoire. At that time this was intended to be a bonus track for Gary Gray’s upcoming CD with Centaur Records – SHADES OF GRAY.

Since then, this project has evolved into more than the sum of its parts and by the early response it is clear that the images evoked by the lyrics of songs from the Great American Songbook which combine poetry, story telling and haunting melodies are ideal candidates for the expressiveness of the spoken word. The group's next song BEWITCHED, BOTHERED AND BEWILDERED is in the works.

This is the first in a series of spoken word+music to some of the masterpieces of the Great American Songbook - illustrating how spoken word to these magnificent and poetic lyrics accompanied by the original music adds a listening dimension not possible by singing. As a bonus track Lush Life Straight Up offers a reprise of the music with the solos of these wonderful musicians.

Julliette is a British-American voice actor located in Los Angeles. Juliette’s VO work includes commercials, narration, animation & video games in a variety of accents & dialects plus spoken word renditions to poignant jazz songs from America’s true art form - The Great American Songbook.

Juliette is the founder of Voice Over Ventures, was born in N.W. London and lives in Los Angeles. Juliette’s performs in a variety of British and American accents plus a variety of European accents and dialects for commercials, narration, animation, video games and more, including spoken word renditions to the jazz music from the Great American songbook with her trio of pianist Bill Cunliffe and clarinetist/saxophonist Gary Gray.

Juliette has previously worked in theatre, the travel industry, Wall Street, and the health and wellness industry and is therefore able to first hand interpretation to a variety of voice over genres.

From Vegas With Love, re-establishes a musical sound reminiscent of the 1940'sand 50's suggesting similarities to Cole Porter, Peggy Lee, Doris Day Louis Armstrong and Glen Miller; combined with cosmopolitan lyrics that are delightfully amusing, engaging, emotionally intimate and some times spicy with persuasive feminine charm. From Vegas With Love- is candid and mature. Sarah's voice expresses her true love for singing and delivers moments of vulnerability that are undeniably delicious!

From Vegas With Love, re-establishes a musical sound reminiscent of the 1940's

and 50's suggesting similarities to Cole Porter, Peggy Lee, Doris Day Louis Armstrong and Glen Miller; combined with cosmopolitan lyrics that are delightfully amusing, engaging, emotionally intimate and some times spicy with persuasive feminine charm. From Vegas With Love- is candid and mature. Sarah's voice expresses her true love for singing and delivers moments of vulnerability that are undeniably delicious!

"Sarah is a jazz singer with one foot in the past (feels from the 50's) and quality set firmly in today. With over 3000 concerts in 52 cities all over the world, Sarah Montes has earned her market."

Producer Keith Olsen

"From Vegas With Love; is a reflection of personal experiences and observations that

Sarah's Musical addiction: with over 3,000 performances in 52 cities around the world to her credit, Sarah is truly at home on stage. Her sassy, playful attitude combined with her natural ease and sincere passion for music creates an emotionally charged and captivating experience with the audience.

"Sarah sings and performs with a kind of easy confidence, and plain happiness

to just be on stage doing what she loves; which translates into an equally enjoyable

experience for the audience...A close musical encounter of the satisfying kind."

Alan Roy Scott Songwriter and Founder of Music Bridges Events.

Sarah has toured with a variety of show bands including her own band throughout the United States performing at corporate engagements, U. S. Military events and 27 of the finest show rooms of Las Vegas. Over the years, Sarah has performed with numerous well known artists in varying genres such as the Jordanaires, the Guy Lombardo Orchestra, The Letterman, Debbie Reynolds, Jerry Lewis, Wayne Newton, Porter Wagner, Michael Martin Murphy, Lacy J Dalton, John Conley, Sweethearts of the Rodeo, Rodney Crowl, Clinton Greggory and has written and recorded with Hip Hop producer Devante Swing, Flo Rida and new comer to Suburban Noize Records, Nick Dean.

From Vegas With Love is a conglomerate recording that journeyed from Los Angeles to Nashville, to Fabulous Las Vegas, then back to L.A. before finally returning to Nashville and into the hands of Brian Foraker for master mix.

Production: Once again reuniting with long time friend and producer Keith Olsen,

Olsen produced five of the cuts; You Did This, You're Breathing Down My Neck, Love Goes, Matter, and Just Add Water And Stir. Sarah produced the remaining five tunes and was delighted when co-writer Alan Roy Scott, brought Grammy and TEC award winning producer and engineer Ed Cherney to the project; mixing Perfectly Perfect, I Have A Passion For The Old Fashion, Ba Du Ba Da Baby, Convince Me and I Can I Will I Do. Randy Gardner also worked with the project; engineering the songs that Sarah produced and mixing a full band version of Ba Du Ba Da Baby and A Little. Both songs are slated to be released as singles in 2112.

Heather Ramsey, vocalist and CEO of The Midwest School of Voice, honored to be releasing her second CD with "Peace Like a River." Her soulful vocal style and poignant interpretations of holiday classics are a reflection of her diverse influences in music. Renowned pianist, arranger, composer and author Dr. Monika Herzig adds her unique spin to these festive tunes to showcase Ramsey's ability to sing many styles.

Ramsey draws some of her influence on this album from the beloved holiday music of The Carpenters. "I'll admit it, I'm a huge Karen Carpenter fan, and something about her voice on their holiday album puts me at peace any time of year. Holiday music is homecoming for me, a return to my roots. I wanted to share my love of this music with the world and do it in a way that invited everyone to enjoy something on the album. You'll hear my favorite songs, my parent's favorite songs, songs to lift your spirit and songs to make you reflect on holidays gone by and holidays to come. Monika was also able to incorporate my love of many different musical styles in the arrangements, so each song is a new experience and a new sound. I hope you enjoy my gift to you this holiday season and share it with your family and friends," said the vocalist.

Ramsey and Herzig are frequent collaborators and the chance to record together was a special event for both ladies. Herzig stated that performing on the album was "a real treat ... for myself, for the musicians, and for everyone who will get to enjoy this.""Peace Like a River" features familiar favorites like "Merry Christmas Darling," "Sleigh Ride" and "I'll be Home for Christmas," while also featuring the Herzig original "Ballad of a Snowman" and a charming duet "This Christmas" with Ramsey's fiancé, Blair Clark, a vocalist that has performed in hundreds of private and public venues throughout Europe and the United States.

Songlist:

1. Merry Christmas Darling

2. Winter Weather

3. Peace Like a River

4. Sleigh Ride

5. Breath of Heaven

6. I'll Be Home for Christmas

7. Ballad of a Snowman

8. River

9. The Christmas Song

10. The Man With the Bag

11. This Christmas (duet with Blair Clark)

"Peace Like a River" will be available to purchase at established retailers like Amazon.com by mid-September. For more information, be sure to visit http://www.musicbyheather.com For review copies, please contact cheryl@cherylhugheypromotions.com

More about Heather Ramsey:

The seeds that would begin Heather (Ault) Ramsey's musical career were planted very early in life, mostly being sown as she was surrounded by her musical parents, grandparents and extended family at their small church in northern Indiana. Family members spent hours out–harmonizing one another at family reunions, church gatherings and holiday meals, accompanied by Grandma's sweeping piano flourishes and Grandpa's booming baritone. Heather's knack for harmony, improvisation and vocal styling most certainly grew from these early influences.

Playing piano and flute through high school and early college years brought in a more classical foundation in reading music and understanding theory and musical structure. In her later college years, however, Heather got her first professional performance training from Purdue Musical Organizations, where her directors and peer taught her to engage audiences, improve her vocal technique and love live performance. She was listening to everything from Lauryn Hill to Celine Dion, Janis Joplin to Eva Cassidy, and Ella Fitzgerald to Sarah McLachlan, beginning to develop a simultaneous love for R&B, pop, blues and jazz.

In addition to her regular live appearances, Heather is very active in the education and training of young vocal artists in a variety of modern genres. She also serves as the CEO and co-founder of the Midwest School of Voice and co-founded Isis of Indiana with Dr. Monika Herzig. Isis, serving the surrounding Indianapolis areas, is an organization dedicated to helping women achieve their fullest potential in music.

Wataru Uchida is a saxophonist originally from Japan, who studied jazz performance as an apprentice of Chico Freeman. He succeeds Freeman's fat tenor sound, which is the Chicago tradition. Uchida's first album, Blue Morpho, is dedicated to Baden Powell, the legendary guitarist of Brazil.

Wataru Uchida is a saxophonist originally from Japan, who studied jazz performance as an apprentice of Chico Freeman. He succeeds Freeman's fat tenor sound, which is the Chicago tradition. Uchida's first album, Blue Morpho, is dedicated to Baden Powell, the legendary guitarist of Brazil.

In the recording, Romero Lubambo, the top modern Brazilian jazz guitarist played 'Deixa', written by Baden Powell, with the thrilling samba beat by master percussionist, Cafe da Silva. The pianist of this album, Helio Alves performed fascinating solos on Uchida's original compositions such as 'Blue Morpho' 'Green Eyes'. Helio Alves has ever played wth jazz giants and he was featured in the Grammy-winning release, Joe Henderson's Big Band. Nilson Matta, producer & bassist, worked with Baden Powell from 1972 through 73. He also recorded Joe Henderson's Big Band. The album title tune 'Blue Morpho' has a strong drive of Brazilian rhythm called Biao. Another original tune by Uchida, 'Black Current' has a unique Oriental sound and it is blended well with the slow Latin rhythm, 'Bolero'. One of the most well known tunes by Baden Powell, 'Berimbau' is recorded just as duet of sax and bass.

Noshir Mody, a guitarist with his own unclassifiable style and distinctive sound, recently released Union Of Hearts, a trio CD with bassist Daniel Foose and drummer Kim Garey. Comprised of Mody's nine originals, Union Of Hearts is filled with music that is often introspective and relaxed but full of inner fire.

Noshir Mody, a guitarist with his own unclassifiable style and distinctive sound, recently released Union Of Hearts, a trio CD with bassist Daniel Foose and drummer Kim Garey. Comprised of Mody's nine originals, Union Of Hearts is filled with music that is often introspective and relaxed but full of inner fire.

The same thing can be said for Noshir Mody's style. A technically skilled virtuoso guitarist, Mody prefers to build up his solos slowly and thoughtfully, using space dramatically and making every sound count. On Union Of Hearts, he makes unusual time signatures (“Swirl” is a floating ballad in 7/4 time while “Union Of Hearts,” which is in 5/4, has the feel of Indian music) sound effortless. He creates such atmospheric pieces as “What Is Love?” which is a jazz waltz, the peaceful but quietly heated “Spread Your Wings,” a medium-tempo “My Wish For You” which recalls the Hungarian guitarist Gabor Szabo, and the upbeat closer “Schwabacher's Landing.” Each selection leads logically into the next piece, the telepathic interplay between the three musicians make the players seem to think and sound like one, and Noshir Mody carves out his own place in modern music.

Born and raised in Bombay, India, Noshir Mody was self-taught on guitar, which partly accounts for his unique sound. Also a factor is that he grew up hearing a wide variety of music, everything from Al DiMeola's Elegant Gypsy to Indian classical music, rock to music from Bollywood. After he moved to New York in 1995, Mody was fully exposed to jazz, put together his own trio, and played regularly in local clubs. His open-minded approach to music could be heard in two groups that he led: the EthniFusion Rock Ensemble and the EthniFusion Jazz Ensemble. His 2008 solo guitar recording In This World With You put the focus on his impressionistic playing and cinematic originals.

With the formation of a new trio and the release of Union Of Hearts, Noshir Mody is poised to make a major impact on contemporary music. His group has the ability to create lengthy but melodic improvisations on his songs that bring listeners along on a musical travelogue. Union Of Hearts is a giant step forward in his musical journey.

A seamless mixture of familiar favorites and jazz-inspired originals, Herzig celebrates the romantic expanse of modern instrumental music. Gentle in spirit but generous in craftsmanship, the “Come with Me” CD and full-length DVD bridges the gap between entertainment and inspiration.

Pianist Monika Herzig released her second Owl Studios release entitled “Come with Me” in March 2011. The CD/DVD combo reflects a unique partnership between musicians, the Owl Studios label and award-winning documentary filmmaker Susanne Schwibs. The journey comes to life with a 30-minute documentary that includes a variety of visuals, concert footage, and interviews, as well as special features of live performances. In addition the package includes a full-length CD with originals as well as unique arrangements of standards.

“I have the mud of Germany on my shoes,” bassist/ guitarist Peter Kienle proclaimed at the Arts Center in Jasper, IN as he was getting ready to perform a concert with wife/ pianist Monika Herzig and Indiana poet laureate Norbert Krapf. The couple had just returned from a concert tour of Italy and Germany and Peter’s shoes were still caked with mud after he got lost during a walk in the woods. Being that nearly everyone from Jasper, Indiana (a town rich in culture from the early days of German immigration) probably at some point had mud from Germany on their shoes, the audience was delighted with the invitation for a journey through poetry and music.

The mud of Germany was what inspired the title track for “Come with Me.” During November 2008, Herzig and Kienle were invited to Rome for the second time and subsequently visited their hometown in Germany for a few days. Kienle took an extended walk in the woods, and even though he grew up in the area found himself lost in the woods. His strategy to find his way back home was to follow the power lines even though the path took him through rough spots and muddy places. Unfortunately, his shoes were caked with mud, something he realized just as we were getting ready to start a performance with poet Norbert Krapf for the Jasper community. In response to revisiting the woods of Germany, Kraphf wrote a poem that reflects the search for free expression and peace in the woods.

This story and many more paint the rich tapestry of the very special CD entitled “Come with Me.” A seamless mixture of familiar favorites and jazz-inspired originals, Herzig celebrates the romantic expanse of modern instrumental music. Gentle in spirit but generous in craftsmanship, “Come with Me” bridges the gap between entertainment and inspiration. We invite you to join Monika Herzig for this very special journey.

Visit www.monikaherzig.com or www.owlstudios.com for more information.